A Hobbyist's Guide To Stamp Collecting Supplies

Stamp collecting supplies can turn a couple of postage stamps into a hobby. Guitar players, butterfly collectors and athletes all need "gear" to support and build upon their hobbies, so why wouldn't a philatelist? Here's a list of some things to get stamp lovers started.

The first stamp collecting supplies collectors will need is a place to organize and maintain your stamp collection. After all, a damaged stamp is worth nothing! One storage option is an Archival Stockbook. Stockbooks are made up of 4 - 32 stiff pages, paper (manila, glassine or clear film) and a leather cover. Stamp collectors can purchase additional pages to add, much like a photo album, which makes rearranging relatively simple. Stockbooks are not necessarily good options for long term display, however, since stamps aren't glued in and may fall out if the book is bumped or dropped. Many collectors use stockbooks to keep duplicates or unmounted stamps. Instead, you may choose a Stamp Album to store the more expensive and important stamps in your collection. Pre-printed stamp albums contain spaces for particular stamps, in addition to outlines and descriptions about each stamp. Blank stamp albums leave the professional more versatility and the best albums have padded covers, which absorbs pressure from other books on the shelf and leaves collectors room to write their own descriptions. A third storage option is an online stamp album (like AlbumEasy) to layout, organize and keep track of one's stamps online.

The next thing to purchase facilitates the affixing of the stamps into your album. Stamp Hinges are small rectangular pieces of paper coated with a sticky gum. Collectors are encouraged to buy "peel-able" hinges to prevent damaging hinge marks on the stamps. After lightly moistening the hinge, affix the short end to the stamp and the long end to the page, which will allow interested buyers to examine the back of the stamp without completely unsticking it. Collectors should never use glue or tape to affix stamps! In fact, unhinged stamps are ideal but exceedingly rare. Metal Stamp Tongs are used by philatelists to hold the stamps without getting finger oils on them. Varieties include length (ranging from 4-8 inches) and tip (shovel or pointed). Pointed tips are great for intricate positioning but can also tear the stamp so the shovel tips are more practical.

The third category of supplies deals with examination. A Magnifying Glass (with a lens power of 3-4) reveals subtle imprints, color and watermarks. Serious philatelists will purchase a Perforation Gauge and a Watermark Detector to really get a good look. Perforation Gauges measure the holes between two or more stamps, which can sometimes reveal a rare stamp from an ordinary one, or a unique stamp from one a collector already has in his or her collection. It is used by sliding the gauge along a stamp and reading the "perf number" once the holes are aligned. A Watermark Detector will alert collectors to unique markings, rare stamps or even clever forgery attempts. Just like money, stamps have hidden designs, invisible to the naked eye, that guarantee authenticity. Some collectors choose to use black trays and Benzine droppers to view watermarks.

The last category is informational. Magazines, books and catalogs can be a great source of knowledge as to what the market offers and how one's collection stacks up. The stories regarding many stamps is rather amazing and can make a great archival paragraph to keep in the collection!

Stamp collecting supplies pave the way towards holding pride in one's stamp collection. Often, hobbyists are judged by the number of albums owned or the presentation and organization of a collection. One rusted, ripped or ruined stamp can depreciate the value of the whole collection, so it's important to own all the necessary supplies to create a collection every philatelist will envy!